Ditch ing-machine



Fig. 3 is alongitudinal central section of a Fries.

ATENT DAVID F. KAIN, OF MONROEVILLE, INDIANA.

DITCHING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,010, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed October 31, 1895.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAVID F. KAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monroeville, in the county of Allen and State of Indian a,have invented new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ditching machines, and has for its object to provide an improved ditching-machine for cutting and excavating ditches for the reception of drainage-tiles and other conduits; and it consists in the novel features and in the combination or arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims following the description.

In order that those skilled in the art may make and use my improved ditching-machine, I will describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; and

portion of the machine, the forward portion of the frame carrying the wheel 5 not being shown.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the frame of my improved machine, consisting of two parallel beams 2 united at their forward ends, and at their rear ends spread apart, as shown, for attachment to the elevator-frame, as hereinafter described. Secured to the inner adjacent sides of the beams 2 are 3' ournal-supports 3,in which are arranged suitable bearings 4, in which is journaled the shaft of awheel 5. The periphery of said wheel is provided with a central groove 6, from the bottom of which project sprocketteeth 7, annular treads 8 lying on the opposite sides of said groove and provided upon their peripheries with teeth 9 for increasing the traction of the wheel.

To the rear ends of the beams 2 is secured the elevator-carrier, consisting of two rearwardly-inclined parallel beams 10, between which is secured a table or platform 11, and to thelower forward ends of said beams is attached an excavator 12, consisting of two vertical cutters 13, preferably formed of Serial No. 567,522. (No model.)

steel, and having sharp cutting forward edges 14, said cutters being secured at their rear edges to the beams 10 and at their upper ends to the beams 2. The inner adjacent faces of the cutters 13 are provided with cleats 15, on which is supported and secured a share 16, having a sharp cutting-edge 17 and inclined upwardly and rearwardly, as shown. Journaled in the lower ends of the beams 10 is a shaft 18, having mounted thereon two sprocket-wheels 19, and a corresponding shaft 20, provided with sprocket-wheels 21, is journaled in the upper ends of said beams. Passing about the sprocket-wheels 19 and 21 are two chains 22, to which are secured the opposite edges of an endless apron 23, of canvas or other suitable fabric. To said apron, at suitable intervals, are secured transverse cleats 23, which serve to catch the earth and cause it to travel upward with the apron. The lower shaft, 18, is disposed beneath the rear upper edge of the share 16, whereby the excavated earth is discharged onto the lower end of the apron 23, as will hereinafter be described.

Arranged in bearings formed in uprights 24 secured to the upper rear ends of the beams 10 is a shaft 25, on which is rigidly mounted a sprocket-wheel 26, about which and the sprocket-wheel 5 passes a chain 27. On the end of the shaft 25 is mounted a sprocketwheel 28, and a similar sprocket-wheel 29 is mounted on the corresponding end of the shaft 20, said sprocket-wheels 28 and 29 being geared together by a chain 30.

Attached to the lower end of the uprights 24 is a transverse frame 31, which is also support-ed by brace-bars 32 that are attached at their upper ends to the uprights 24, and at their lower ends are attached tothe rear side of the frame 31. J ournaled in the opposite ends of the frame 31 are shafts 32 and 33 having mounted thereon sprocket-wheels 34, about which pass two chains 35, to which are secured the opposite edges of an endless apron 36. On the forward end of the shaft 32 is mounted a pulley 37, and a similar pulley 38 is mounted on the end of the shaft 25. A belt 39 passes about the pulleys 37 and 38, a guidepulley 40 being interposed between the pulleys 37 and 38 and j ournaled on an arm 41 attached to one of the beams it). Said pulley 40 serves to guide the belt from one of said pulleys to the other.

To the under side of the beams 1.0 are pivotally connected two arms 42 that are provided with bearings 43, in which is jonrnaleda shaft all having mounted thereon midway between its ends a wheel to. The rear ends of the arms 42 are secured to a lever 46, having a slot or recess l7 through which passes a rackbar l8, that at its upper end is secured to the carrier-frame 31. A spring-pawl 4-!) is mounted on the upper side of the lever l6 in proximity to the slot or recess 47, and is adapted to engage the raclcbar l8 to hold the wheel 4-5 in its adjusted position, as will hereinafter be described.

The cutters 13 are braced in position by brace-rods 50, that are attached at their opposite ends respectively to said cutters and to the beams 2. To said beams 2, in rear of the wheel 5, are pivotally connected the ends of abail 5.1, the forward end of which is bent to form a. loop 52 that operates as a clevis. The loop or clevis 52 embraces an upright 53, secured at its lower end between the forward ends of the beams 2, and provided with a series of perforations 51, in "which is adapted to be inserted a pin that serves to hold the bail at any desired elevation. To the rear end of the frame 31 are attached handles 50, by means of which the machine may be guided and controlled in the same manner as a plow.

The operation of my improved ditchingmachine is as follows: The draft is applied to the loop or clevis 52 of the bail 51, said bail being vertically adjustable in the man ner described to accommodate it to the depth of the ditch being excavated. As the machine is moved forward. the inclined share 16 of the excavator 12 is forced into the earth and makes a lateral out to form the bottom of the ditch, while the cutters 13 make two vertical cuts, forming the sides of the ditch. The ribbed treads 8 of the wheel 5 travel upon the surface of the earth in advance of the excavator 12 and drive the chain 27, and thus rotate the sprocket-wheel 26, shaft 25, and through the medium of the sprocketwheels 28 2E) and chain 30 the shaft 20. The endless apron is thus caused to travel over the table 11. As the earth is excavated by the excavator 12 it is delivered upon the traveling apron 2 and by it is carried upward and discharged onto the transverse apron 236, which is driven from the shaft 25 by the pulleys 37 and 3s and belt 3; The carrier-apron. 36 carries the earth to one side and deposits it on one side of the ditch.

The wheel 45 runs on the bottom of the ditch, and by raising or lowering said wheel by the lever to the depth to which the excavator 12 will cut is regulated, and when it has been adjusted to the proper height the lever to locked in its adjusted position by the spring-pa\\'l 49. The machine constructed as above described is extremely simple and strong in construction and durable and ellicient in operation, and operates to excavate a ditch of the required size very rapidly with the expenditure of but slight labor and power.

llaving described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a ditching-machine, the combination with a frame carrying anv excavator, of a rear wardly-inclined elevator-frame carrying an endless apron adapted to receive and elevate the excavated earth, a carrier-apron arranged beneath the rear end of and transversely to the said endless apron, means for driving said. aprons, two arms pivotally connected at their forward ends to the elevator-frame and having journaled therein a ground-wheel, a lever connected to the rear ends of said arms and provided with a spring-pawl, and a rack-bar secured to the carrier-frame and adapted to be engaged by said pawl to adjust the position of said ground-wheel and thereby regulate the penetration of the excavator, substan tiall y as described.

2. In a ditching-niacinno, the combination with the frame 1. carrying at its rear end an excavator 12 having j ournaled in its forward end a wheel 5, a rearwardly-inclined elevatorframe having sprocket-wheels1t) and 21 journaled at its opposite ends, chains 22 gearing said sprocket-wheels together, an. endless apron 23 attached at its opposite edges to said. chains, a shaft 25 mounted on the upper end of said elevator-frame, a sprocket-wheel mounted on said shaft, a chain 27 gearing the wheels 5 and 26 together, sprocket-wheels 2 and 29 mounted respectively on the ends of the shaft and the end of a shaft 20 carrying the sprocket-wheels 21, a transverse carrier-apron 36, means for driving said apron from the shaft 25, and means for adjusting the penetration of the excavator l2, substantially as described.

3. In a ditching-machine, the combination with the frame 1 carrying at its rear end. an excavator 12 and having journaled in its forward end a wheel 5, a rearward]y-inclined elevator-frame 10 having sprocket-wheels 1!) and 21, journaled at its opposite ends, chains 22 gearing said sprocket-wheels together, an endless apron 23 attached at its opposite edges to said chains, a shaft 25 mounted on the up per end of said elevator-frame, a sprocket:- wheel 26 mounted on said shaft, a chain 27 gearing the wheels 5 and 26 together, sprocketwheels 28 and 29 mounted respectively on the ends of the shaft 25 and the end of a shaft 20 carrying the sprocket-whcels 21, a transverse frame 21 having journaled in its opposite ends shafts 32 and sprocket-wheels 3t mounted. on said shafts, and geared together by chains 35 carrying an endless apron 36, a pulley 37 mounted on the end of shaft 32, a pulley 38 mounted on the shaft 25, a belt passing about the pulleys 3'7 and 38, a guide-pulley interposed between said pulleys, and means for adjusting the penetration of the excavator 12, substantially as described.

i. In a ditching-machine, the combination with the frame 1 carrying an excavator 12 at its rear end and having j ournaled in its forward end a wheel 5, of a rearwardly-inclined elevator-frame 10 carrying an endless apron 23 adapted to receive and elevate the excavated earth, a carrier apron 36 arranged transversely beneath the rear end of the apron 23, means for driving said aprons, arms 42 pivotally seeured to the frame 10 and having journaled therein a wheel 45, a lever 46 attached to the rear ends of said arms and having a slot or recess i7, a rackbar 48 attached to the carrier-apron frame and passing through said slot or recess, and a spring-pawl 49 for holding said lever at varying heights to regulate the depth of penetration of the excavator, substantially as described.

5. In a ditching-machine, the combination with the frame 1 carrying at its rear end an excavator 12 and having j ournaled in its for ward end a wheel having on its periphery a central cogged groove and ribbed treads on the opposite sides of said groove, arearwardlyinclined elevator-frame having sprocketwheels 19 and 21 journaled at its opposite ends, chains 22 gearing said sprocket-wheels together, an endless apron 23 attached at its opposite edges to said chains, a shaft 25 mounted on the upper end of said elevatorframe, a sprocket-wheel 26 mounted on said shaft, a chain 27 gearing the wheels 5 and 26 together, sprocket-wheels 28 and 29 mounted respectively on the ends of the shaft 25 and the end of a shaft 20 carrying the sprocketwheels 21, a transverse carrier apron 36, means for driving said apron from the shaft 25, and means for adjusting the penetration of the excavator, substantially as described.

6. In a ditching-machine, the combination with the frame 1 carrying at its rear end an excavator 12 and having j ournaled in its forward end awheel 5, of a rearwardly-inclined elevator-frame carrying an endless apron 23 adapted to receive and elevate the excavated earth, a carrier-apron arranged beneath the rear end of and transversely to the said endless apron, means for driving said aprons, a vertically-adjustable Wheel arranged in rear of the excavator and operating to regulate the penetration of the excavator, a bail 51 pivotally attached to the frame 1 in rear of the Wheel 5 and provided at its forward end with a loop 52, a perforated upright 53 secured to the forward end of the frame 1 and projecting through said loop, and a pin adapted to be inserted in said perforations for adjusting the height of said loop, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID F. KAIN. lVitnesses N. N. MARTIN, 1V. H. EICHHORN. 

